Mobile telephony devices, such as cellular telephones and mobile computing devices with cellular telephony capabilities, are typically provided with service from a cellular service provider. The cellular service provider typically only provides service to its customers within a defined geographical area, often only within a single country. The area served by the provider is considered the “native” service area for customers who receive cellular telephone service from the provider.
If a customer who receives cellular telephone service from a first “native” cellular service provider travels to an area outside his native service area, the customer's cellular telephone may be capable of receiving cellular service from a second “non-native” cellular service provider that provides coverage in that location. However, because the non-native cellular service provider is not the customer's regular service provider, the customer will be charged special “roaming” fees for receiving incoming communications and for sending outgoing communications from that location. Typically, the non-native cellular service provider charges the user's native cellular service provider for providing service to the customer's cellular telephone, and the native cellular service provider then passes those charges along to the customer as part of his regular monthly bill. This is true for telephone calls, text messages, and other forms of telephony communications.
Roaming charges can be exorbitant compared to fees charged for telephony communications within the customer's native service area. International roaming charges are particularly expensive, as the rates negotiated between carriers for overseas call termination has been at a premium.